Additional Info

Nearby Theaters

This was the biggest first run movie theatre in Brussels, located near the Grand Place. It was under the same direction as the Plaza Cinema. It opened in 1920 as Forum Palace Cinema and it soon became the Agora Cinema. The Plaza was called then Albertum Cinema. Those two cinemas were the leading theatres before Eldorado Cinema and Metropole Cinema.

After World War II, it was renamed Roosevelt Cinema (the Plaza Cinema became the Churchill Cinema). Post war blockbusters “The Best Years of Our Lives” was showed first run in those cinemas. First run films to play here include; “The Third Man” in 1949, “An American in Paris” concurrent with the Cameo Cinema and Queens Hall Cinema, Charlie Chaplin’s “Limelight” concurrent with the Beaux Arts Cinema and Roy Cinema, “From Here to Eternity”, “To Catch a Thief”, Stanley Donen’s “Funny Face”, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

In 1959 it was destroyed by a fire and it was demolished. On the site was built the Galerie Agora with the 3 former entrances on Rue Marche aux Herbes, Rue des Fripiers and Rue des Peronniers, it opened in 1966. This commercial gallery was considered the equivalent for Brussels, the London Carnaby Street and it is still the rendezvous of the international tourists, due the proximity of the Grand Place.

When I was in Brussels decades ago I wandered thru the shops at the Agora. Interesting to learn of it’s previous life so many years later. At the time I was surprised by this modern expanse in a city of antiquities. Now I know why.